


Unwell

by ThePendragonQueen



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Dark Leo, Depression, F/M, Leo Valdez gone insane, Oneshot, PTSD, Post War, Sad, Songfic, based on the song by Matchbox Twenty, do these tags count as spoilers???, imagining things, insane, insane asylum, mad! leo, mentally ill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 10:10:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18163835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePendragonQueen/pseuds/ThePendragonQueen
Summary: Leo's been getting strange looks. Everywhere he goes people whisper. They think he's crazy, they think he's gone mad but he insists he hasn't, he's just a little unwell, just ask Calypso. Based off the song Unwell by Matchbox Twenty





	Unwell

I laid in my dark room staring at the ceiling. I wasn't sure just how long I had been there, just staring, but I had a feeling it was almost all day and the sun would be setting soon. I woke up and just laid there, all motivation to get up and do something productive sucked out of me. Instead I laid here and made friends with the shadow on my walls. I had come to know these shadows well. They followed me around everywhere and were the only things that didn't worry about me and my sanity.

I stared up unmoving until the sunset and the moon shone. I didn't move, I didn't twitch, I didn't get up to eat.

 _"You should eat,"_ I heard a voice say. I ignored it.

 _"You should get some sleep,"_ another said. I shrugged it off as well.

 _"C'mon, Leo, sleep. Tomorrow might actually be good for something. Maybe you'll actually get up and get something done,"_ another whispered.

I shrugged. "Yeah, maybe," I mumbled to the voices that seemed to belong to no one in particular. Maybe it was the shadows.

I kept staring at the ceiling wondering who I was talking to. Who spoke? Why did I answer? My gut wrenched. I suddenly felt like I was going to vomit. My stomach sunk and tears welled up in my eyes. I was headed for another breakdown and I had no idea why.

The breakdowns happened every once in a while. I would often go a week or so without feeling any emotions and then just randomly break down for no apparent reason. At least, none that I could find. The Apollo campers seemed to think else wise. I told them I was fine, I told them I wasn't crazy, just a little unwell but they didn't believe me. The insisted on checking me out anyways. They were worried for me. I kept telling them I was fine. I knew they couldn't tell right then but I promised after a while they would see that I'm okay, that I'm sane.

They said my brain was playing tricks on me, almost making me hallucinate. I told them that wasn't true, my vision was just a little impaired. They didn't believe me. I insisted that I was fine, just wait and see, but I had a feeling that after a while they'll just wonder who I used to be and what I became. They would wonder how I had managed to change so much. But I promised, I was okay.

I finally managed to cry myself to sleep.

The next morning I woke up with the sun shining in my face. I decided that today, I would listen to those voices and get up and do something. I decided to go see Calypso. I got out of bed, took a quick shower, got dressed and headed out the door. I walked slowly out into the field. I wasn't going to go and find Calypso because I had no idea where she was. Actually, I never knew. Usually if I just walked around Camp she would show up eventually and we would hang out the rest of the day until she had to go back and get some sleep.

I walked around and saw campers busy with their daily activities. Some were on the rock climbing wall, some were sword fighting, some were practicing archery, some were in class. It was just a normal day at Camp Half-Blood. I stared out watching the Apollo campers hit bullseye after bullseye with my hands in my pockets until I heard a sweet, savory voice come out from behind my shoulder.

"Good morning, Leo," it said sweetly.

"Ah, there you are Sunshine. And how are you on a fine morning like this?" I asked with a smirk and a playful bow.

Calypso giggled. "I'm good, I was wondering if you wanted to walk around the camp with me today. We could go to the strawberry fields. Maybe dip our feet into the ocean after?"

"Of course, you know I'm always up for a day of wandering around camp with you," I said brightly.

Calypso giggled and we walked off together. Her light brown hair fell wavily over her shoulder and her almond eyes sparkled in the sun. She looked the same way she had when I had left her on the beach and promised to come back. I was glad I did. I wasn't sure what I would do with out her. She was the sun in my life. I felt like I needed her like I needed oxygen.

As we walked on, we talked about silly little things and laughed together. We passed by Percy and Jason who seemed to have just finished a sword fighting lesson. They looked at me strangely when me and Calypso walked by talking. They seemed confused as if I was talking to myself or speaking another language, but I was sure I hadn't accidentally slipped into Spanish again. Some other people around gave me weird glances as well and I suddenly had that sinking feeling in my stomach again. Why were they looking at me like that? I walked over to Percy and Jason to dodge the glances. Calypso followed.

"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked them cheerfully.

"Oh, uh, hey, Leo. Nothing, just, uh, just finishing sword fighting lessons," Percy muttered rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Alright, well have fun, me and Calypso are gunna go hang out by the beach," I said gesturing to Calypso who was at my side and then gesturing toward the beach area.

"Uh, um, o-okay, Leo. Have- err- have fun," Percy said as we walked away but he made it sound more like a question. As we walked away I could hear Jason whisper something to Percy but I couldn't hear about what. It must have been about me, why else would he whisper?

We kept walking and I kept noticing others do the same. They would give me strange looks then whisper something to the people they were with who would whisper something back. I knew they were all talking about me. But about what? Was I on fire again? It made me feel like there was something wrong with me.

"It's okay, Leo, just keep walking," Calypso said soothingly next to me. I gulped and nodded. I kept trying to ignore all their whispers and avoid all their glances. Had I lost my mind?

"I'm not crazy Calypso, I'm not. I'm just a little... unwell. I promise if you just wait a while you'll be able to see that I'm okay. You'll see a different side of me," I muttered almost hysterically.

"It's okay, Leo, I know you're not crazy," Calypso said back calmly.

"I'm- I'm not crazy, I'm not. I'm just- uh- impaired, yeah I'm just impaired. I know I've changed a little and I'll end up changing even more but I still love you, Calypso, and- and I promise I'm not crazy," I said quickly. I stuttered throughout my sentence. I was nervous. What if Calypso thought I was crazy the same way every one else seems to think so. Would she leave me? I couldn't let that happen. I don't know what I would do without her. I needed her to stay with me. I needed her.

Calypso talked calmly and soothed me down and assured me that she knew I in fact wasn't crazy and that she wouldn't leave me. We walked through the strawberry fields and down the beach and talked happily until the sun set and we both went our separate ways.

I laid back down in my bed after putting my pajamas on. I stared at my shadow friends for a while until I finally drifted off to sleep.

I dreamt of Calypso and Ogygia. I dreamt of my flying back in after the explosion, after I died and came back to life. I landed. I saw Calypso. She was stunning. She looked the same way I had left her on the beach. We embraced happily. I kissed her like never before. Like it would be the last time I ever kissed her. She was beautiful. We both got on Festus and we flew off into the air. On our way out Festus bumped as if he had hit something or something had hit him. There was a scream from behind me. My dream got fuzzy and I couldn't remember any more. I mumbled wildly until I woke up. I looked around and saw a couple of Hephaestus kids looking at me questioningly. I had been talking in my sleep again.

I heard the door knob of the cabin jiggle. It opened up to three people dressed in all white. I watched as they walked towards me. They got closer until they were standing right in for too me.

"What are you-" I started but didn't get to finish. One of them reached out and gripped my upper arm tightly. I yelped a little. "What-"

"Leo Valdez, come with us," the person holding me said in a calming voice.

"What- no- why-" was all I could manage to get out.

"Please, just come with us," another said in slightly more familiar yet calming voice.

I stared at the person with blonde hair. "Will?" I asked confused.

"Leo, we need you to come with us," he said again, his voice still calm and unwavering.

"N-no, I'm not going anywhere with you," I said yanking my arm away from the first person.

Will sighed. "Grab him," he muttered to the other two. The two other people grabbed my arms firmly.

"Will, what are you- let go of me," I said trying to yank my arms free.

"Leo, you have to come with us, please don't make this any harder than it needs to be," Will said sounding tired and exasperated.

I struggled to get free. "No, no, I'm not- I'm not going with you, leave me alone," I shouted. I looked around at the other campers who had all woken up and were watching what was happening. "Guys- guys please help," I begged but they did nothing to help me. They all simply stared at me sadly, almost in a pitying way.

The two people continued to hold me tight and lift me up from my bed. "Will, please, why are you doing this?" I asked helplessly, still trying to get away.

Will's face seemed to fall. "You're... you're not doing any better," was all he said but I knew what he was talking about.

"What? Is that what this is about? Will, I told you _I'm not crazy,_ " I insisted. Will simply shook his head. "Will, I'm not crazy. I promise you I'm not. I'm just a little unwell, a little impaired."

Will sighed. "Leo, that's what you keep saying but..." his voice trailed off.

"Will, please, I promise you I'm okay, just ask Calypso, she knows I'm not crazy, ask her," I insisted.

"Leo," Will said his voice quiet and barely audible. "Calypso's dead."

My head rang. "What, no, she- she can't be. No- no, y-you're. You're wrong! Calypso- Calypso's not dead. She's not- she's not dead," I said shaking my head wildly.

Will looked sad as if he had to tell a little kid their puppy had been hit by a car. "Leo... she died when you tried to take her off her island."

"No, no, that's not true, that's not true! I talked to her today! We- we hung out, we walked along the beach, we- we-" I was sobbing. No this couldn't be true, it just couldn't. Calypso couldn't be dead. She was alive! She was alive and sleeping and I was going to see her tomorrow.

"Leo, you hallucinated all of that, you have been for a while now. We tried to wait to see if it would get better but..." Will's voice trailed off again.

I shook my head wildly tears still streaming down my face. Everyone in the cabin was wide awake now, watching their once-was-genius-head-of-cabin-leader get told the love of his life was dead. Some looked on with wide eyes, some with tears, all with frowns. "She- she can't be dead. I know she's not dead. She's not dead! I'm not crazy!" I shouted trying to yank myself free of their grip.

The two people looked at Will who simply gave a sad nod. With a heave the two gripped my arms tight and lifted me up from the bed.

"No, no, let me go!" I yelled kicking and thrashing in their grip. "No, I'm not crazy! I'm not! I'm just a little unwell! Please, please, I'm not crazy, please! Calypso's alive! I'm not crazy!" I turned and twisted and kicked and tried anything I could to get away from them but nothing worked. They were bigger and stronger than me. The dragged me out across the floor, out of the cabin, my legs still kicking. I yelled the entire time. They dragged me across the grass. It was the dead of night. I woke most of the campers up. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I screamed for Calypso. For her to come out and tell them that I wasn't crazy, that I was okay, but she never came.

We finally reached the infirmary. They dragged me to the back of the room and opened up a hatch that led to underground. They walked down the stairs. I had never been here before, I had never even seen that door before. The brought me to a room filled that looked something like a jail cell that was comfier and more secure with no pointy objects and a lot of mattresses and nothing I could possibly use as a tool. They stripped me of my tool belt and put me into a long, white jumper that had no pockets. I resisted the entire time.

Will sighed. "Please, Leo, just work with us so this can be easier for all of us," he said desperately.

"No, you've got this all wrong. I'm not crazy, I'm not!" They opened up a door that and threw me into the room on top of a mattress so that I bounced and didn't hurt myself. They shut the door and locked it behind me.

Will looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry, Leo, I really am, but this is for you're own good, we're going to try to help you," he said calmly and assuringly.

I shook my head. "But I don't need help, Will. I'm fine. Im perfectly okay!" Will shook his head sadly. "Yes, I am, I'm fine, please, Will, just listen to me, please," I begged.

Will lowered his head. "I'm sorry Leo," he said with a sad look before he turned and walked out the door with the other two people.

I ran up to the bars and pressed my face against them. I reached out for him desperately and gripped the bars tight. "No, please, no! I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! Calypso's alive! I know she is! Calypso's not dead! Will! Will! Come back! Will! Let me out of here! I'm not crazy, Will, I'm not crazy! Just ask Calypso, I'm not crazy! I'm just a little unwell! Im not- I'm not crazy!" The door slammed leaving me there to mumble to myself. "I'm not crazy, I'm- I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I just a little unwell. I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy. I'm- I'm just a little unwell..."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this story! If you did, please hit that Kudos button and leave a comment. Even if you hated it, still please leave a comment! I love hearing feedback and constructive criticism is always very much appreciated.


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